Dick Brooks

Richard Brooks (April 14, 1942 – February 1, 2006) was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500. Brooks held off veteran Buddy Baker by 7.2 seconds for the Talladega win. After he retired, he served as a NASCAR sportscaster for a brief period of time. His Grand National statistics include the win at Talladega Superspeedway, 57 top fives, 150 top tens, 4 top-ten points finishes (1975 through 1978), and 358 career races. Although Brooks only won one NASCAR race, he was a popular figure in that league of motorsports. Brooks drove for the underfunded Junie Donlavey team throughout his racing career.

For the magician, see Dick Brooks (magician).
Dick Brooks
BornRichard Brooks
(1942-04-14)April 14, 1942
Porterville, California
DiedFebruary 1, 2006(2006-02-01) (aged 63)
Cause of deathPneumonia
Awards1969 NASCAR Grand National Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
358 races run over 17 years
Best finish6th (1977)
First race1969 Daytona 500 qualifier No. 1 (Daytona)
Last race1985 Coca-Cola World 600 (Charlotte)
First win1973 Talladega 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 150 0

Career
1983 racecar
1984 racecar

Brooks made his Grand National Series debut at the first Daytona 500 Qualifying Race in 1969, driving a self-owned Plymouth.[1] Brooks had a solid year, and with 12 top-tens he finished 21st in the final standings. This also meant Brooks became the rookie of the year. He continued to drive his Plymouth in 1970 and scored 15 top-five finishes in 34 races, improving to 13th in the final points standings. Brooks came close to winning the 1970 Georgia 500, but eventually finished third to Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac after having led 133 laps.[2] In 1971 Brooks moved to the team of Mario Rossi, driving the No. 22 Dodge. In 15 races with the team Books scored 12 top-ten finishes. His best run of the season came at Darlington were he finished second to Buddy Baker.

For the next two seasons, Brooks did not have a full-time ride and practically picked up whatever ride came up. Brooks started the 1972 season at the Atlanta 500, driving the No. 90 Ford for Junie Donlavey. Brooks made three additional starts for Donlavey with a best finish of eighth, at the Winston 500. Brooks also drove five races for Marvin Welty but failed to finish any of them. Brooks only finished one other race that year, when he drove for Bill Champion at the Texas 500.[3] Brooks started out his 1973 season driving the No. 6 Owens Racing Dodge to a third place finish at the Daytona 500. He returned to Donlavey and drove eight races for that team in 1973. The highlight of Brooks's career came at the Talladega 500, when he drove the Plymouth of Jimmy Crawford to an unexpected victory. Brooks was not supposed to drive Crawford's Plymouth, but after officials ruled that Crawford did not have enough experience on the big speedway, Brooks took over the ride.[4]

Without a ride for the 1974 season, Brooks started to field a self-owned Dodge. Of the 16 races that Brooks entered that year he finished three times. His best finish of the season was in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol International Speedway.[5]

Brooks returned to Donlavey for the 1975 season, driving the No. 90 Ford once again. In 25 races Brooks scored 15 top-ten finishes of which he finished six in the top five. His best result that season was a second place, in the Delaware 500 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Brooks also finished in the top ten in the final points standings for the first time.[6] He continued to drive for Donlavey Racing in 1976. Brooks scored 18 top-ten finishes that year and he finished 10th in the final points standings for the second year in succession. Brooks continued his good run for Donlavey Racing in 1977. He scored a total of 20 top-ten finishes that season of which he finished seven in the top five. He finished sixth in the final points standings, which would turn out to be a career high.[7] Brooks had another good year in 1978, with 17 top-ten finishes. He finished eight in the final points standings and left the Donlavey team at the end of the season.

Brooks moved to the team of Nelson Malloch in 1979, driving the No. 05 Oldsmobile and Chevy. Brooks had a lot of mechanical issues during the season and only managed to finish 13 of 27 races that year. Brooks scored eight top-ten finishes during the year and finished 22nd in the final points standings. He stayed with Malloch for the 1980 season but left the team after he only finished five of the first 16 races. Brooks entered in three more races that season, which he drove for Banjo Matthews.[8]

Brooks only drove five races each season in 1981 and 1982 before reuniting with Donlavey for 1983. After finishing fifth in the Daytona 500, he had several other solid runs. After four races, Brooks led the point standings for the only time in his NASCAR career. Brooks also led the most laps in the third race of the year, at Rockingham, but retired on lap 384. This was the only time in Brooks's career that he led the most laps during a race.[9] Brooks faded to 14th at season's end. In 1984, the Donlavey team struggled to keep up with the better-financed teams and Brooks finished 15th. After driving three races for the Petty Enterprises team in 1985, Brooks left. His final NASCAR race was behind the wheel of a Rick Hendrick-owned car in the 1985 World 600 where he finished in tenth place.[10]

Midway through the 1994 season, Brooks purchased the No. 40 Pontiac team from SABCO Racing, inheriting driver Bobby Hamilton and sponsor Kendall Oil. Hamilton left for Petty Enterprises in 1995, and Brooks fielded the No. 40 for Greg Sacks, Rich Bickle, Shane Hall, Andy Hillenburg, Randy LaJoie, and Butch Leitzinger, but after a season which saw the car lead only two laps with a best finish of 12th, Brooks sold the team back to SABCO.

Later life and death

Brooks lent his name to a series of car dealerships in North and South Carolina.

After complications from a plane crash in late 2004, Brooks died of pneumonia on February 1, 2006.[11]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time * – Most laps led)

Grand National Series
NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 NGNC Pts Ref
1969 Brooks Racing 32 Plymouth MGR MGY RSD DAY
16		 DAY DAY
32		 CAR
12		 AUG BRI ATL
40		 CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS
18		 MAR
16		 AWS
7		 DAR
30		 BLV LGY CLT
33		 MGR
9		 SMR MCH
24		 KPT GPS NCF DAY
28		 DOV TPN TRN
8		 BLV BRI
25		 NSV SMR ATL
10		 MCH
31		 SBO BGS AWS
3		 DAR
7		 HCY
6		 RCH
24		 TAL
5		 CLB MAR
35		 NWS
8		 CLT
6		 SVH
25		 AUG CAR
6		 JFC MGR
24		 TWS
5		 21st 1780 [12]
1970 RSD
33		 DAY
7		 DAY DAY
19		 RCH CAR
3		 SVH ATL
26		 BRI
5		 TAL
13		 NWS
5		 CLB DAR
2		 BLV LGY CLT
31		 SMR
4		 MAR
5		 HCY
2		 KPT GPS
3		 DAY
5		 AST TPN
4		 TRN
4		 BRI
26		 SMR
3		 NSV
35		 ATL
26		 CLB
17		 ONA MCH
3		 TAL
40		 BGS SBO DAR
8		 HCY
4		 RCH
9		 DOV NCF NWS
26		 CLT
30		 MAR
16		 MGR
3		 CAR
39		 LGY 13th 2460 [13]
Dennis Gallion 86 Dodge MCH
37		 RSD
30
1971 Mario Rossi 22 Dodge RSD DAY DAY
3		 DAY
7		 ONT
5		 RCH CAR
5		 HCY
14		 BRI
3		 ATL
14		 CLB
3		 GPS
3		 SMR
5		 NWS
3		 MAR
23		 DAR
2		 SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT
10		 DOV MCH
8		 RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB 36th 939 [14]
95 Chevy HCY
22
Ferguson-Stephens 66 Pontiac DAR
39
Ford MAR
26		 CLT
39		 DOV CAR
Brooks Racing 32 Plymouth MGR
20		 RCH NWS TWS

Winston Cup Series
NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL
40		 BRI MCH
27		 MCH
40		 NSV 49th 1023.5 [15]
Blank & Kalashian 66 Pontiac DAR
35		 NWS MAR
Donlavey Racing 98 Ford TAL
8
Marvin Welty 73 Ford CLT
36		 DOV RSD
33		 TWS
35		 DAY BRI TRN ATL
38		 TAL
40
Seifert Racing 45 Mercury DAR
32		 RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
40
Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford CAR
34
Champion Racing 1 Ford TWS
17
1973 Owens Racing 6 Dodge RSD DAY
3		 RCH 27th 3200.7 [16]
Donlavey Racing 90 Ford CAR
5		 BRI CLT
9		 DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY
9		 BRI ATL
Mercury ATL
7		 NWS NSV
32		 RCH
27		 DOV NWS
8		 MAR
98 Ford DAR
11		 MAR
Crawford Racing 22 Plymouth TAL
23		 NSV TAL
1
B & B Racing 61 Chevy DAR
9
Brooks Racing 32 Dodge CLT
34		 CAR
7
1974 RSD DAY
9		 RCH CAR
12		 BRI ATL
24		 DAR
29		 NWS
24		 MAR TAL
29		 NSV DOV CLT
27		 RSD MCH
19		 DAY
15		 BRI
7		 NSV ATL POC TAL
29		 MCH
8		 DAR
34		 RCH
16		 DOV NWS MAR CLT
36		 27th 267.52 [17]
28 Chevy CAR
31		 ONT
1975 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford RSD DAY
22		 RCH
4		 CAR
4		 BRI
19		 ATL
4		 NWS
8		 DAR
25		 MAR
8		 TAL
3		 NSV DOV
29		 CLT
7		 RSD MCH
7		 DAY
6		 NSV POC TAL
38		 MCH
20		 DAR
26		 DOV
2		 NWS
11		 MAR
6		 CLT
35		 RCH
3		 CAR
29		 BRI
6		 ATL
7		 ONT
8		 10th 3182 [18]
1976 Miller Racing 95 Chevy RSD
33		 10th 3447 [19]
Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY
41		 CAR
24		 RCH
26		 BRI
6		 ATL
7		 NWS
7		 DAR
35		 MAR
5		 TAL
12		 NSV DOV
7		 CLT
7		 RSD MCH
6		 DAY
8		 POC
31		 TAL
3		 MCH
29		 BRI
7		 DAR
6		 RCH
8		 DOV
6		 MAR
6		 NWS
6		 CLT
9		 CAR
8		 ATL
29		 ONT
4
Langley Racing 64 Ford NSV
29
1977 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford RSD DAY
5		 RCH
27		 CAR
22		 ATL
23		 NWS
6		 DAR
9		 BRI
2		 MAR
6		 TAL
7		 DOV
5		 CLT
8		 MCH
7		 DAY
9		 NSV
5		 POC
5		 TAL
39		 MCH
6		 BRI
4		 DAR
34		 RCH
8		 DOV
8		 MAR
26		 NWS
8		 CLT
6		 CAR
5		 ATL
37		 ONT
6		 6th 3742 [20]
Langley Racing 64 Ford NSV
22		 RSD
12
1978 RSD
15		 NSV
14		 RSD
26		 8th 3769 [21]
Donlavey Racing 90 Mercury DAY
5		 TAL
15		 DAY
36		 POC
7		 TAL
9		 MCH
6		 DAR
25		 CLT
10		 ATL
12		 ONT
9
Ford RCH
5		 CAR
28		 ATL
6		 BRI
19		 DAR
35		 NWS
8		 MAR
27		 DOV
9		 CLT
19		 MCH
7		 NSV
8		 BRI
4		 RCH
5		 DOV
6		 MAR
13		 NWS
9		 CAR
5
1979 Nelson Malloch Racing 05 Olds RSD
33		 DAY
27		 CAR
3		 RCH
28		 ATL
10		 NWS
13		 BRI
22		 DAR
9		 MAR
21		 TAL
37		 CLT
39		 TWS RSD DAY
9		 TAL
11		 BRI
20		 NWS
25		 22nd 2622 [22]
Chevy NSV
27		 DOV MCH
10		 NSV
19		 POC
20		 MCH
29		 DAR
7		 RCH DOV
26		 MAR
15		 CLT
8		 CAR
15		 ATL
40		 ONT
7
1980 7 RSD
22		 RCH
29		 CAR
16		 ATL
5		 BRI
27		 DAR
5		 NWS
27		 MAR
26		 NSV
30		 DOV
17		 CLT
15		 TWS
27		 RSD
31		 MCH
33		 DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI 27th 1698 [23]
Olds DAY
36		 TAL
9
Billy Matthews Racing 41 Chevy DAR
10		 RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT
10		 CAR
31		 ATL ONT
1981 Buick RSD DAY
16		 RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR
15		 MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT
36		 TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT 61st - [24]
Bobby Hawkins Racing 13 Ford CAR
21		 ATL
13		 RSD
1982 DAY
38		 RCH BRI
28		 ATL
34		 CAR DAR
32		 NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS 48th 347 [25]
Steve Harrison 8 Pontiac CLT
24		 MAR CAR ATL RSD
1983 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY
5		 RCH
13		 CAR
8		 ATL
6		 DAR
19		 NWS
20		 MAR
8		 TAL
14		 NSV
25		 DOV
15		 BRI
21		 CLT
37		 RSD
5		 POC
28		 MCH
12		 DAY
32		 NSV
14		 POC
15		 TAL
7		 MCH
21		 BRI
21		 DAR
31		 RCH
13		 DOV
32		 MAR
16		 NWS
15		 CLT
37		 CAR
18		 ATL
31		 RSD
34		 14th 3230 [26]
1984 DAY
26		 RCH
19		 CAR
23*		 ATL
14		 BRI
30		 NWS
11		 DAR
31		 MAR
11		 TAL
30		 NSV
9		 DOV
35		 CLT
13		 RSD
12		 POC
20		 MCH
11		 DAY
38		 NSV
27		 POC
11		 TAL
35		 MCH
18		 BRI
3		 DAR
6		 RCH
10		 DOV
7		 MAR
11		 CLT
13		 NWS
11		 CAR
30		 ATL
17		 RSD
24		 15th 3265 [27]
1985 Petty Enterprises 1 Ford DAY
22		 RCH CAR
20		 ATL
38		 BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV 53rd 249 [28]
Hendrick Motorsports Chevy CLT
10		 RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1969 Brooks Racing Plymouth 33 32
1970 13 19
1971 Mario Rossi Dodge 8 7
1973 Owens Racing Dodge 9 3
1974 Brooks Racing Dodge 23 9
1975 Donlavey Racing Ford 5 22
1976 9 41
1977 15 5
1978 Mercury 32 5
1979 Nelson Malloch Racing Oldsmobile 8 27
1980 41 36
1981 Billy Matthews Racing Buick 38 16
1982 Bobby Hawkins Racing Ford 15 38
1983 Donlavey Racing Ford 10 5
1984 12 26
1985 Petty Enterprises Ford 11 22

24 Hours of Le Mans results
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1976 Donlavey Racing Dick Hutcherson
Marcel Mignot		 Ford Torino NASCAR 104 DNF DNF
1982 Stratagraph Inc. Hershel McGriff
Tom Williams		 Chevrolet Camaro IMSA
GTO		 141 NC NC

References
  1. "Dick Brooks in the NASCAR Grand National Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. "NASCAR Race Results at Middle Georgia - Nov 8, 1970". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  3. "Dick Brooks in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  4. "TOP 10 SHOCKERS AT TALLADEGA". nascar.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  5. "Dick Brooks in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  6. "1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  7. "Dick Brooks in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  8. "Dick Brooks". legendsofnascar.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  9. "1984 Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  10. "Dick Brooks in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series". driveraverages.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  11. "Dick Brooks". legendsofnascar.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  12. "Dick Brooks – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  13. "Dick Brooks – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  14. "Dick Brooks – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  15. "Dick Brooks – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  16. "Dick Brooks – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  17. "Dick Brooks – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  18. "Dick Brooks – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  19. "Dick Brooks – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  20. "Dick Brooks – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  21. "Dick Brooks – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  22. "Dick Brooks – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  23. "Dick Brooks – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  24. "Dick Brooks – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  25. "Dick Brooks – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  26. "Dick Brooks – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  27. "Dick Brooks – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  28. "Dick Brooks – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
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